I have had my 2012 Focus Titanium X for just over a week now and I have noticed what appears to be slight knocking noise when engaging a gear from neutral after having stopped.

It sounds and feels like after you stop, apply the handbrake and put the car in neutral, when you go to put the car in gear to move off again the front disc brakes are released. It is like the car is applying the front brakes automatically if the handbrake is up and the car is in neutral.

My engine doesn't have the Stop-Start feature, but I'm guessing it is doing this under the same conditions as the Stop-Start system would turn the engine off/on.

Is this right? It seems like quite a neat feature, but at the same time, if it is not a feature and the knock is actually a problem I need to get it back to the garage.

Cheers.

Its the Hill start Assist Alex , standard on the Tianium X

Is it normal for it to do it on a flat though?

I have felt the hill start assist in action on slopes were it only lets go of the brake when you actually move, but this is releasing as I engage a gear.

Does the system simply grab the brakes every time you stop then if on a flat lets go as you engage a gear, or on a slope lets go when you start moving then?

Only meant to work on a slope , i have not felt mine working on the flat

It doesn't actually hold the car, but if I say pull up at some lights, apply the handbrake and take it out of gear.... when I then engage a gear (with the handbrake still on) you hear a slight clunk that sounds like the front brakes releasing.

What made me think brakes and not a gearbox noise, is that this morning when I went to reverse out of my drive, as I engaged reverse, I heard the faint clunk and the car "dropped" forward ever so slightly.

My drive is on a slope if i remember when i leave work tomorrow i'll see if i canhear anything on mine